FOREST CONDITIONS IN TENNESSEE. 33 



crowded stands. In making final cuttings, certain principles can be 

 observed that will insure a second crop from the young trees in the 

 shortest possible time, as well as reproduction from seed and 

 sprouts. In these regions the chief object of management will be 

 the production of saw timber, although many other products will 

 also be obtained. For this purpose yellow poplar and chestnut are 

 the most promising in the Unaka Range, while white oak may be 

 included with these in the Cumberlands. Short-leaf pine will also 

 be a very valuable tree on the driest soils of the Cumberland Pla- 

 teau lands where valuable hardwoods will not thrive. Hickory is 

 likewise important, especially in the Cumberlands. While the best 

 hickory timber grows on upper north slopes in mixture with oak, 

 the younger growth is of fair quality in almost all situations. Re- 

 production is good and growth rapid enough to make it well adapted 

 to management and an important tree for the future. Excellent 

 fuel can be obtained from the smaller trees cut out in thinning, 

 while the larger timber is of especial value in the manufacture of 

 vehicles. 



A large amount of woodland in the Cumberlands is underlaid by 

 workable coal. This land should be managed for the production 

 of mine timbers, in order to render the mines independent of the 

 general market for their supply. At present there is very little 

 method in the selection of timber for use in the mines, this usually 

 being left to the contractor. Consequently, the most convenient 

 trees are cut without regard to the effect on the forest. Usually the 

 slopes nearest the mines are devastated, while more remote bodies of 

 timber belonging to the same property are deteriorating from decay 

 and overcrowding. Whether the land is owned by the mining com- 

 pany or merely leased, it would be profitable ,to all concerned to in- 

 stitute improved methods of cutting so as to conserve the supply and 

 improve the condition of the forest. Owners of coal lands should 

 see to it that provisions to this end are inserted in mining leases. 

 A few of the more progressive companies have already taken steps 

 in the right direction. The fact that small-sized trees of all kinds 

 can be utilized gives an exceptionally good opportunity to thin out 

 the forest in such a way as to increase the growth and improve the 

 quality of the timber produced. Just how this can best be accom- 

 plished would be an important subject for investigation by a State 

 Forester. 



One of the most important problems before the State is the af- 

 fording of adequate fire protection to forest land, and this problem 

 3 



